Financial News
- 26 March 2012, 14:40
Soldiers On Standby To Get Fuel To Pumps
Hundreds of soldiers are being lined up to stand in for fuel tanker drivers threatening industrial action next month.
The Army and police are on standby to ensure deliveries do not grind to a halt because of disputes over rising diesel and petrol prices.
Cabinet Office minister Francis Maude said the Government stood "ready to act" if members of the Unite union go on strike.
The results of a strike ballot of 2,000 tanker drivers is expected later, with a view to begin the walkout from April 3.
Mr Maude appealed to the union and employers, including DHL and BP, to come to an agreement to avert industrial action.
But the Government has put in place contingency plans that could see soldiers being called in to drive tankers and police preventing blockades.
Mr Maude said: "We are calling on the trade union Unite and the employers involved to work together to reach an agreement that will avert industrial action.
"Widespread strike action affecting fuel supply at our supermarkets, garages and airports could cause disruption across the country.
"The general public should not and must not suffer from this dispute and strike action is manifestly not the answer.
"Although we are pushing for an agreement, we have learnt the lessons of the past and stand ready to act to minimise disruption to motorists, to industry and, in particular, to our emergency services, in the event of a strike."
Unite announced last month that it would ballot members working for seven major fuel distribution firms on whether to launch a campaign of industrial action.
The union warned that strikes could hit petrol supplies at supermarkets, garages and airports across the country.
The 2,000 drivers account for 90% of those supplying petrol to UK forecourts.
Unite said there had been "unrelenting attacks" on drivers' terms and conditions, adding that it had been trying to establish a forum to agree industry - wide best practice on issues like safety and training.
what do you think?
Sarah 'Blake Hayden' Sprason
Go for it! Strike :-) someone has got to make the government take notice of the fact that fuel is at a ridiculous price! Yes the oil companies are making a fortune from it, but roughly 60% of the price you pay is tax, which will increase in August too! :-( I don't drive, (I can, but choose not to) so the price doesn't personally affect me, but they don't seem to realise that they are pricing people out of work. People that drive to work aren't likely to be able to find a similar paid job closes to home, or they would have done already! So when they can no longer afford to drive to work, unemployment will rise! The government seem to lack the most basic common sense!
peter hallam
Although you choose not to drive, the cost of fuel does affect you directly. There used to be an old saying, " If you've got it, a truck brought it" and the cost of that truck is reflected in the price that you pay for anything.
wayne elson
I back this action fuel prices are a joke ,any protest must be good,we sit back and let the government con us all
Robert Hare
Yes well we couldn't have the government missing out on some well deserved tax now could we......
Derek Thrower
The government are saying that the general public should not suffer at the hands of the strikers. That's a joke as the general public are allresdy suferingat the hands of the government on a daily basis.
Sarah 'Blake Hayden' Sprason
Didn't get them to stop the teachers tho did it? So decs government of ours, it's fine for our children (workers of the future) to suffer, but not people working now? Of course not because the children aren't paying taxes yet! Lol you've hit the nail on the head mate, we're all suffering every day because of them bleeding everyone dry!
Sarah 'Blake Hayden' Sprason
I'm guessing that the person that disliked all of the comments is either a) earning over 150 grand a year and isn't clever enough to fill their gas guzzler up the day before proposed strike or b) a government worker! Lol
Russell Clarke
It has to be done the time for words are over " revolution" !!!!!!!!!
Phylip de la Maziere
I have a horrible feeling we are going to see more of this kind of action when will this government learn that WE JO PUBLIC HAVE HAD ENOUGH!!
Lisa Morrow-Mayer
What did the government expect. Put yours hands together for all the tanker drivers. We should be more like the French. The fuel hike makes our fuel the most expensive in the whole of Europe.
jonny english
I live in europe and England doesn't have the most expensive fuel!
shane rees
Yes agree but once again it's the over stretched under paid troops that get stitched to sort out this governments failings, so lucky they can't strike. Otherwise there would be to fill in for the tanker drivers, fireman and if they get their way the police I've no doubt all of which are better paid, I'm led to believe.
doug piercy
I think it's a great idea. Nobody but MP's and bankers can afford the stuff anyway so let's see how they like it when their surf's don't jump through their hoops. We need to dig our heels in and tell politicians enough lining your pockets what about the people that make the country run?
Cathy Welsh
the goverment are all self self and all for the rich and not for the more needy people of this country, what these stupid idiots dont /wont understand is they are punshing the working people of this country the backbone that keeps the gass guzzlers in YES them in goverment in pocket in jobs that i trust they obtain more than the standerd rate of pay for [perhaps they should try cleaning at 3am for basic wage bet they woundnt do it] they are hanging everyone out to dry. no fuel no work as for the green people bus service at 3am dont work as for train no station near were i work. got WE NEED CHEAPER FUEL THE COUNTRY NEEDS A BREAK. STRIKE!!!!!!!!
John Henderson
This is about drivers' terms and conditions and has nothing to do with the price of fuel. Sorry to say, but just another union trying to get what they want - they couldn't care less for the travelling public.
Sandy Mary
Please read the second paragraph and you'll see that this extends to fuel protests as well.
Sandy Mary
Thatcherite policies from a Thatcherite government. Remember the miners.
Juls Adams
people need to stick together more i this country and fight for what we belive in but we have no backbone.remember year 2000 when there was a fuelprotest.after 2days people couldnt cope fighting over loafs of bread and milk like there was a war on.we cant cope and back down.The government know this so they will always win.without people sticking together no matter what the government will always win.they dont give a s$$t about us.besides it is the tanker drivers striking for more money i guess nothing to do with the price of fuel.There some of the best paid.30000 to 50000 a year so there hardly hard up are they.its should be a protest againest fuel prices not there working conditions and another pay rise for tanker drivers.there just trying to get support for there cause
jonny english
spot on!!!
stephen
All these so called supporters of the strike will be singing a different tune.When they cant drive down the pub or do the school drop off!!!!
Juls Adams
heating oil is about 60pence a litre with 5percent vat added.road diesel is average 1.43pound so you can see what money in vat and duty the government.heating oil is vitually the same has road diesel so you can see were totally being ripped off left right and centre.even heating oil at 60pence a litre were all being ripped off.the oil companys are making vast profits saying supplys are running low its bulls**t.i can see this country will grind to a standstill has people cant afford to drive has its do expensive.its happening now and will only get worse.a car will be a luxury that only the rich can afford like mps and bankers.the only ones the government is interested in.we all thought labour were bad these are even worse.
John Byrne
orange seems to have mashed two stories about fuel in to one. I thought this protest was about driver terms and conditions? Having the army break strikes is low, the drivers have every right to withdraw labour.
stuart walmsley
Cameron please note. The pips are beginning to squeak.
Windows Live User
6:05am on 25/3/2012
I like the way Mr Maude tries to use the General Public in his appeal. Like he could give a d...
jimmyjedi1979
7:44am on 25/3/2012
Too right! Typical media propaganda- get the man on the street angry and divert the attention away from the greedy government and blame the working class! Thing is we now live in a new age and we can't be silenced by corporate agendas! Lets just see if orange put this message up, or have they been bought too?